samuel curtis



@intuir tatcssttnt @ffice ROBERT BRAYTON, SAMUEL CURTIS, AND DAVID JUNE, OF FREMONT,

` OHIO.

Letters Patent No. 65,536, dated June 11, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM ENGINES.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that we,RoBnRr BnAYroN, SAMUEL CURTIS, and DAVID JUNE, of Fremont, in the county ot' Sandusky, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and' useful Improvements in Steam Engines; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full and complete description' of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this' specification, in which- Figure lis a side view of the engine.

Figure 2 is a. front view of the same.

Figure 3 is a detached vertical section.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the views.

Fig. 1 represents a vertical high-pressure steam engine, which is, in its general construction, analogous to engines in ordinary use. In this engine A is the' frame, B the cylinder, C the steam-chest, D the exhaust channels, E the pitrnan, connecting the piston-rod F and crank-wheel G. H, iig. 2, is the main shaft, upon which is the eccentric I, connected to the rock-shaft J by the rod K. L is the pump, and is operated by the arms and rock-shaft M and links N N', ot' which N is connected to the crank-wheel G.l P is the exhaust pipe, and I a chamber, to which the condenser 0 is connected by the pipe O. In the chamber P is tted the puppet-valve a, iig. 3. This valve is connected by the stem I) to the yoke c, which is operated by the cam d on the rock-shaft e mounted in the framef, and which frame is secured to the chamber P in the position as shown in the drawing.

Having thus described the several parts of the engine and their respective arrangements, the operation of the same is as follows: v

By detaching the link K from the rock-shaft J, by the means of which the cam d and shaft e are operated by the link e', and which in turn operates the puppet-valve, as above said, the engine is new simply high- -pressure or non-condensing, taking steam through the induction pipe E, tig. 2,-passing through the cylinder, and exhausting'through the out-board pipe Q in the ordinary way. In order to change this high-pressure character of the engine to a low pressure, the link K referred to is hooked to the rock-shaft J in the manner as shown in the drawing at S, lig. 1. This throws up the puppet-valve in the direction indicated by thedottcd lines h, 3, at the instant of exhaustion, and allows the steam to exhaust through the pipe Ol into the con denser O, and is therein condensed in the ordinary manner, and so on at each alternate action of the engine receiving steam through the induction pipe R, and exhausting it through the condenser, the puppet'each time opening at the instant of exhausting, and thereby diverting the steam from the out-board exhaust pipe Q, and exhausting it through the condenser, as above described; and thus the engine continues to run as a condensing engine, but which, however, may be in a moment changed to a high pressure by simply detaching the puppet arrangement by unhooking the link K, and thereby allowing the exhaust steam to escape through the out-board pipe Q, and thus it may be run simply asa high-pressure engine. In order to prevent a portion of the steam from exhausting through the out-board exhaust Whemrunning as a low pressure, the drop-valve t', iig. 3, is introduced into the out-board, which is seen to open outward from the puppet-chamber P. This valve is closed by the external pressure of the air, caused bythe vacuum formed in the condenser, and thus closed against the escape of steam in that direction, thereby compelling it to nd its exhaust through the condenser, as above described. The first impulse of the exhausting steam may, if a high head is on, cause a partial opening of the valve e7, and thereby permit the-escape of some steam through that exhaust, but this is soon corrected by the instant closing of the valve by the external pressure induced by the vacuum; hence it offers no obstruction to the action of the condenser and the working of the engine as a low pressure; on the contrary, if a high head of steam is on and worked with a limited expansion, it affords additional room for the escape of steam at the iirst instant of exhausting, and thereby relieving the engine more immediately of the exhausting steam.

The advantages derived from an engine thus constructed are these, viz, we thus combine in one engine the advantages of a high and low pressure, which, for marine purposes, is of greatimportance, for when the action of the pumps condensing apparatus is in any way interrupted it can be detached, and the engine run without it. Also, as a vacuum can be formed in this engine as in a low pressure, especially constructed as such. Hence this facility of changing` the engine from a low to a high pressure, and vice versa, make it the safest for marine uses. In this engine the steam may be eut oii' at any height of stroke, and carried as high as in any engine without affecting or interfering in the least with the perfection oi the vacuum. The condensing apparatus is Vlight and simple in construction, and easily attached to any high-pressure engine at a triling expense compared with that of the condensing apparatus in ordinary use, by the simplicity of its construction and the small amount of room it occupies. As compared 'with the volume of steam used, a vacuum is produced at a largely less expense than can be by any other condensing apparatus in use. I

What We claim as our improvement, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1. The cain d, yoke c, stem 6, and valve a, as arranged in combination with the chamber P', valve z', and pipes 0 and R, for the purpose and in the manner as herein described. i 2. The link K, rock-shaft J, and link c', as arranged incombination with the cam d, yoke c, stem 11, and valve a, for the purpose and in the manner' as set forth.

ROBERT BRAYTON, SAML CURTIS, Witnesses: DAVID JUNE.

JOHN L. GREENE, Jr.,

THOMAS R. GOULD. 

